Rob Reiner’s role in a Reba McEntire video was probably the least of his accomplishments in his storied career. But it illustrates just how much he’d become an unlikely cultural icon both in front and behind the camera.
The post The Time Rob Reiner Appeared in a Reba McEntire Video first appeared on Saving Country Music.
Officially he wasn’t the actual director. He just played the director as a cameo in the video. The real director was Jon Small. But it was Rob Reiner who played the director in the big budget video for Reba McEntire’s #1 hit “Does He Love You” from 1993. Country music fans are no different than the rest of the world that’s reeling from the news of the death of Rob Reiner and his wife Michele. They were reportedly stabbed in their home in Los Angeles by the couple’s son, Nick. It’s hard to fathom how such a institution of American film and acting has perished under such horrible circumstances. Remembering Reiner for his good-natured humor helps. Reba McEntire’s song “Does He Love You” isn’t really one of Reba’s more signature #1 hits. The rather schmaltzy, pop composition by Sandy Knox and Billy Stritch paired McEntire with Linda Davis as a duet partner. The song is about two women vying over the same man in a love triangle. Similarly, the video is quite a glitzy affair, with Reba and Linda Davis dolled up and acting out different scenarios as a hunky guy slinks back and forth as the object of their desire. Reba’s hair and costumes are quite elaborate throughout the video—almost over-the-top—including at one point where she’s wearing a full head hat and scarf almost like an Arabia queen. There’s a good reason for this though. Reba had a basal-cell carcinoma, or skin Cancer on her forehead removed right before the video, requiring the bandage to be covered in the scenes. The video is a little unbearable to witness aside as a time capsule into the early ’90s … until the end when Rob Reiner makes his appearance. No spoilers, but it arguably makes suffering through the rest of the video worth it, and proves Reba, Linda, and everyone involved can laugh at themselves a little bit.
Rob Reiner and Reba first worked with each other on the comedy/drama/adventure film North released in 1994. That’s when the idea of the music video cameo came together, and the part with Reiner was actually shot on the North set. Rob Reiner’s role in a Reba McEntire video was probably the least of his accomplishments in his storied career. But it illustrates just how much he’d become an unlikely cultural icon both in front and behind the camera, and why his loss comes so heavy on the heart. “I enjoyed every minute I was around Rob Reiner,” Reba says. “I sure will miss him. What a gift he was to this world. Rest in peace, my friend.”
I had forgotten about this video. Personally, I don’t think the vid was unbearable. Clearly the label thought this was worth making a big splash over and it was exactly that. This was a cinematic, blow-out video from Nashville and was part of the video treatments that helped push Reba into the acting sphere in a real way.
The ending was kind of a bit odd given the over-the-top treatment that was given the video overall, but it worked. Rob was funny and he was a good sport for taking part in it given his stature in Hollywood.
Prayers for his family and friends after this astonishingly awful event on an astonishingly awful news weekend. We should all feel more humble and mortal moving forward. Let’s stay above the heat and noise…
I always assumed the tongue-in-cheek ending for the music video “Does He Love You” was to prevent it from being banned by CMT and TNN. Garth Brooks’ music video for “The Thunder Rolls” was banded just a couple years prior by the outlets. A funny ending may have landed softer on the executives.
Wynonna was supposed to be the duet partner in “Does He Love You.” For whatever reasons they couldn’t make it work and Reba’s backup singer who laid down the demo become a brief household name.
I guess I wouldn’t go as far as calling “Does He Love You” a “signature song,” but it was a concert staple for decades allowing any female opening act the opportunity to join Reba on stage. The last time I saw Reba in concert in 2008, she and Kelly Clarkson performed it together.
Rob Reiner, no matter what you think of him personally, is one of those people whose work is so impressive that if you only look at one thing he did he’s a legend. I mean, if he had decided to go into accounting after making The Princess Bride? Or Spinal Tap? When Harry Met Sally? A Few Good Men?
Source: savingcountrymusic.com